Vitus Duralinox

I've been hugely impressed with the bike knowledge out there (and very envious of some of the bikes you own) so I wonder if you can help. Many years ago (about 15) my pride and joy was a Vitus Duralinox road bike with shimano ultegra kit. It was a thing of great beauty and a dream ride.

The other day when I was out running I bumped into the triathlete I sold it to all that time ago.

Amazingly he's still got the bike (hasn't been used for years) and he's willing to sell it back to me.

My heart says I should but my head says technology has moved on and the Vitus 979 frame is no longer the hi-tech thing it once was.

Does the Vitus compare favourably with modern frames and should I buy iy and upgrade all the kit on it?

Some may recall a previous bike thread from me and yes, this is the bike I once had hanging on my bedroom wall because it was so beautiful.

Sorry for such a long posting. Thanks in advance for any help forthcoming.

Isn't that the one with the bonded lugs ?
I think 15 years is a good span for a bike - I wouldn't expect that much more from it.

But I'd probably buy it back and use it for old times sake.

What a nice story !

I know nothing about bikes but surely as it was so important to you in the past you should buy it back. Let your heart take over.

I probably will buy it back but I don't know what the Mrs will make of me hanging it up on the bedroom wall again. I'll have to move all the Kylie posters to start with . . .

Cougie it is the one with the bonded lugs. research on the internet tells me that the great Sean Kelly rated the Vitus as the best bike he ever rode (at least they think that's what he said).

To make the story even better the last time I saw the bloke I sold my bike to was . . . when I sold him the bike. It was him who recognised me and remarked how slow I was these days (I was struggling up a very steep hill.

Vitus will rebond the frame if you send it to them. I wouldn't trust racing on it at that age. It could easily be upgraded once you are happy with the frame though. A friend of mine has an old Dura-ace version and we tried a 9 speed wheel in once, which fitted without having to bend the frame.

If you can get if for say £100 i'd be tempted to resurrect it!

what a coincidence - I am DD's friend (what an admission)

My Vitus 979 was beautiful and had been rebonded once because the down tube came away from the head tube once as I was ridng up a hill. I rode it for years but finally bought myself something new last year because I got paranoid about it breaking again.

I would not completely trust a old one, beautiful though they are.

I wish this tale had a happy ending but . . . what do they say about never going back. I went to look at my old bike earlier today and I'm gutted. The bike I always regretted selling is not the dream machine I remembered it as. Time and tide wait for no man and the old bike looks tired and dated. It's badly scratched and would need every bit replacing. I don't know what I expected but I was really disappointed. I knew I should have left it hanging on the bedroom wall.

Thanks for the input.

Awww, but at least it sounds as if it had a full and happy life.

And anyway - Lance Armstrong was spotted using Shimano brakes from 1980 at the weekend. Retro is in !